As we convene for the Durham County Commissioners meeting, it's crucial to recognize the painful truth of history, we stand on the stolen ancestral lands of the Kataba, Eno, Okanichi, Shakori, and Tuscarora peoples whose deep connection to this land predates our arrival. We acknowledge with humility the unjust displacement and violence that occurred leading to the dispossession of indigenous peoples from their homelands. Their resilience in the face of such adversity is a testament to their strength and spirit. May we humbly honor the ancestors and elders of these nations, both past and present, by committing ourselves to fostering understanding, healing, and justice for all who inhabit this land.
Let us walk forward together with open hearts, acknowledging the past and embracing a future guided by compassion, respect and unity. Thank you, Commissioner Burton. I will lead us in the pledge. Then everyone can
rise if you are able. Thank you. Um, I'm gonna There he is. Are there any adjustments to the agenda?
>> Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to approve the agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay.
Moved by Commissioner Burton, second by Commissioner Valentine. All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed?
Agenda is approved three to zero. Cler Wallace, would you like me to read the announcements for you? >> Yes. Okay. I'll read the announcements published in tonight's agenda. Uh, thinking about college, meet reps from National Colleges and Universities,
explore programs and scholarships, and take your next step at the Durham Public Schools 2025 College Fair on Saturday, September 30th at the Durham Convention Center located at 301 East Morgan Street. m. m. m.
m. There is registration required and there is a link. Durham homeowners can now apply for Durham County's lowincome homeowners relief program known as LIHR. This program is a joint effort from the Durham County Department of Social Services and the Durham County Tax Administration. This program exclusively serves homeowners who have lived in their homes at least five years, have no current state tax subsidies for their properties, and have incomes less than or equal to 80% of average median income. gov or you can call 919-5608000
to schedule an appointment. Early voting for the 2025 municipal primary election. m. on Saturday, October 4th.
m. m. at your assigned poll. gov for more information or call 919-5600700. The Durham Cooperative Extension and Durham Soil and Water Conservation District have teamed up to host their inaug inar I can't even say the word their plant sale on Thursday, September 25th from 4 to 6:00 PM at 7:21 Foster Street. Um, come purchase plants from local vendors, Driver Street Nursery, Durham Flower um, Farm, Flowering Earth Natives, and um, Wolf Berry Hawthorne
Farm. The event is free to attend, but please RSVP so organizers can have an estimate of the attendance and there is a link. The Durham County Open Space Matching Grant Program is accepting applications for the 2526 cycle. Grant applications are due by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 12th.
The program is designed to assist organizations, nonprofits, and residents in Durham County, both inside and outside the city limits, in preserving um open space lands and promoting new and improved recreational opportunities for citizens of Durham County. information and applications are available. There is a site. gov for more information. The office of the Duke Forest has announced that the 18th annual deer herd reduction program on the Duke Forest teaching and research laboratory will begin on Monday, September 22nd and end on Friday,
December 12th. During this time, the Durham uh course thin and Blackwood divisions will be closed to public access in all recreation Monday through Friday except Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday, November 27th through the 28th. edu. And lastly, save the date.
2 mile stretch of Black Whale, Cochran, and Foster Streets. This event will temporarily open the streets to people and closed to cars and trucks, transforming the area into a car-free public space where everyone can come enjoy walking, biking, rolling, playing, and community celebration. Partners, Bike Durham, City of Durham,
Transportation Department, and the Partnership for Healthy Durham. Welcome everyone. org for more information. And that concludes the announcements published in tonight's agenda.
Thank you, Clerk Wallace. We'll now move to Are there any additional announcements? Yes, Commissioner Jacobs and then Commissioner Burton. >> Yes.
Um, thank you. Um, a few things. One, I wanted to encourage residents to fill out the rail trail survey. Um we are going to be finishing up the second uh part of our engagement um this month for the plan and really want to hear from everyone.
Um I also want to highlight that the Stagville Memorial RFP has gone out. I want to give a special shout out to Perry Mans um who's been working on this uh with our board for many many years. And I just want to um highlight that this is something that
Durham County actually helped lead on um many years ago, set aside the funding for the Stagva memorial project downtown and the city then came on board to join us and now it's actually taking place with an RFP for public art and history commemorating the history of the enslaved people of Durham and their ancestors. isters and descendants. So, this is so exciting. Um, and um, I just wanted to share with our board that last week I participated in the NACO behavioral health and crisis response exchange in Henriiko County, Virginia.
Uh, and really learned a lot. I look forward to sharing more about what they're doing in Henriiko. I got to visit their 911 center and see how they are diverting 911 calls um for screening
for mental health calls um the protocols they're using for that and also the I got to meet with their um mobile response teams who are responding um alternate crisis response. Uh so really exciting to see how everyone is collaborating there. law enforcement and uh justice services staff, jail staff, the courts, uh mental health, everyone there working together to make sure that people in their community get connected to the care that they need and that we keep they keep people out of their jail and they're um interacting with law enforcement when not necessary. Um, so I look forward to sharing more of that with you at our work session.
Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Jacobs, and thank you for representing us uh at NAKO. Commissioner Brit,
>> thank you. Um, Chair Allam, I just wanted to say that had a lot going on this weekend. Um, I want to talk about Terry David who, um, is the CEO, executive director of Families and Communities Rising. He received one of the leadership awards from Triangle Business Journal for his work of leading families and communities rising.
You know, he's a really um staunch advocate for Head Start and Early Head Start. And that's something that the county um Durham County, we are really pushing preK. So, it was really great to see him honored that way. And I know Commissioner Valentine, he was there um on Friday to see not Friday, it was Thursday to see him honored in that way. And also just to lift up this past weekend was the 50th um anniversary 50 years of centerfest and um had a wonderful breakfast for people um on Sunday and I was able to
attend. And of course, Commissioner Valentine was there, too. But Centerfest is the gym of our county. Um, it was ranked the 40th um, most well-attended, most wellorganized arts festivals in the country out of 200.
And it was just really great to be there. Particularly Sherry Dere is retiring after 23 years of service. So, I just wanted to share that. and finally got to see the Renegade today and Maison.
Um it was outstanding just to see that those units are so beautiful. Um those affordable units um and they're and they're selling out. I think they're almost full 110 units and um I'm looking forward to the new units that are going to be built on Main Street. They're building them as we speak.
Those are another 95 additional affordable housing units. So, just want to say a lot of great things are happening in Durham County. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much. Oh, Commissioner Jacobs, >> 195. >> 100. Thank you for correcting me.
>> And uh I I also wanted to um or actually Perry is it 205? What is >> it's total 305? >> Okay. One.
Okay. 195 on the other. Okay. Sorry about that.
>> Yes. Um I just also wanted to add um just so that especially for our staff um Durham County staff uh to share that we are marching in the pride parade on Saturday. Durham County government and commissioners and um staff are encouraged to participate and join. And if you would like to participate, we will be marching as a group. Um, please reach out to our clerk, Monica Wallace, who is helping to organize everyone, but we will be at
Pride um on Saturday. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Valentine. >> Uh, thank you, Madam Chair.
And uh thank you uh Commissioner Burton for highlighting uh Dorm Arts Council's Centerfest at at 50 as a member of the Dorm Arts Council uh board. Uh I was had happy to see so many people in our community participate and then we're hoping in uh in the out years that we'll continue to make sure that that uh that activity has a major impact economically in our community. Second, uh under the leadership of Dr. Angelo Bur, the local chapter of the NAACP will be hosting their state convention here in uh Dorm over the weekend.
So, I'm hoping that uh as many people who uh are members or potentially become want to become members will participate in those activities uh uh downtown of De Marriott. So, thank you and I yield. >> Thank you, Commissioner Lee. And if you uh send those event details also to Clerk Wallace so she can publish them uh
on the website. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um that concludes our announcements.
I'll now move us to our minutes. We have minutes to approve from our meeting on September 2nd and our work session. Oh, yeah. Our work session September 2nd and our regular session September 8th.
Are there any adjustments to those minutes? I'll entertain a motion. >> So moved. >> Second.
Moved by Commissioner Valentine, seconded by Commissioner Burton. Any further discussion? Okay. All in favor say I.
>> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. Minutes are approved.
Five to zero. We now have um proclamations that for fire prevention week and actually not so do I. Okay. We have fire prevention week where we have m uh Mark Lockhart of our director
of emergency services. >> Director Lockhart, can you turn on your mic, please? Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, commissioners, Madam Manager, and Madam Attorney.
I'm joined tonight by Celi Simon and Tyler Fitz from the Office of Emergency Services Fire Marshall Team and we greatly appreciate the proclamation for October 5 through 11 as Fire Prevention Week in Durham County. This year's theme is charge into fire safety and focuses on lithium-ion batteries in the home. We join with our fire and emergency services colleagues across the country in stressing how important it is to buy, charge, and recycle safely when it comes to lithium-ion batteries. When buying a product with lithium-ion batteries, we urge you to look for a safety certification such as Underwriters Laboratory.
This means the batteries meet important safety standards. When charging those devices, use the cords that came with the device. Follow the instructions and charge the device on a hard surface. Don't overcharge the
device and unplug it when the battery is full. Finally, lithium-ion batteries should never be thrown in the trash or regular recycling bins because they could start a fire. We encourage everyone to recycle those batteries responsibly by taking them to a safe battery recycling location and those may be found at www. org.
We thank you very much. Thank you so much, Director Lockhart, and thank you so much to our fire marshalss and the entire team uh for all the service and work that you all provide to Durham County through education and also prevention and putting out fires. Any additional comments? >> Um the the lithium No, not a question.
Lithium ion batteries, that's very very serious. Um, you know, um, when you travel now, they say not to pack your toothbrushes, the electric toothbrushes in your in your checked baggage. You have to carry it, you know, carry on,
you know. Um, with cell phones being just kind of regular now, everyone plugs their phone in at night, lay it on your um, in your, um, nightstand, right? and it charges and it gets full and you just still charge. You're still plugged in and just, you know, incident after incident.
It happens over and over again where those things sometimes catch on fire, explode or so forth. So, that is very very important. Thank you all for bringing this to u to Durham's attention because um just more and more I don't know if it's the quality of the batteries, you know, the newer batteries or so forth, but it continues to happen. It's always in the news.
So, thank you all very much and um congratulations on your um your week that is coming up here. >> Thank you, Commissioner Jacobs. >> I also want to thank you for bringing educating the community and bringing fire safety um to everyone's attention.
And I just wanted to add, thank you for that phone number or or the website to go to um and I just wanted to highlight that um on Club Boulevard, the city of Durham's hazardous waste recycling is one place that people can take their batteries to. And also uh periodically the county hosts a recycling day at Durham County Stadium where people can bring batteries and hazardous waste. Thank you. >> Thank you so much.
Our next item is National Clothing Insecurity Awareness. Um, and this is a proclamation Durham County is recognizing for a note in a pocket that uh collects new and gently used clothing and distributes it to families in need. Um, I don't believe we have anyone here to receive this proclamation, but uh, Shannon Trap will be delivering this proclamation to them.
Commissioner Jacobs, >> I wanted to highlight because the their proclamation is about the clothing needs that people have. And I so it really what made me think of is welcome baby um in Durham County at cooperative extension has an amazing clothing closet for babies and children uh that's really overtaking the cooperative extension people are very very generous in our community but there is a big need for children's clothing and um and and other organizations that we really value too like Dress for success for people for the workplace. So it just um this is a real need and I appreciate what um note in the pocket is doing as well raising awareness about this issue. >> Thank you. Our next uh proclamation is rooted in wellness day and I believe we have
a staff. No, we don't have Okay. Well, Rooted in Wellness Day is the North Carolina Black Alliance addresses policy and economic issues to enhance black communities by developing and promoting systemic policy changes as well as youth and leadership development. Um, so we are honoring uh this event and this proclamation, a copy of it will be received by NC Black Alliance.
Thank you. We now move to our consent agenda. Are there any items commissioners have questions on or want to pull? Commissioner Jacobs check.
>> I just have some questions on item 25-0497. I don't necessarily want to pull it. I just have questions >> because these are items that we're seeing for the first time. >> Go ahead.
>> Is that okay? >> Yeah. >> Oh, okay. Um, yeah. Well, first of all, I am very grateful for the partnership with um the RTP Foundation on this
issue. Um, I think what we're seeing before us really represents a really positive collaboration and I just want to clarify that I see that there is um funding that is being provided for the upfit uh of the space and also um very generous contract in terms of maintaining it. And I just my I had two questions. One was um what happens if if we don't stick within the budget that is being provided um what will be the process around that um for the upfit and um also if we could um hear a little bit more about how the actual staffing of the um ser you know the service will take place how that will be done um what the plan is for
that. So, those were two my two questions. >> Great. And u we'll hear from David Lebar, um the director of planning and development with the office of the sheriff.
And I I will say that uh we talked about this in the budget process. Um the sheriff has been working um with the research triangle foundation for some time and and we're grateful this partnership has come to fruition. We did realign um positions in the sheriff's office budget to support five FTEEs um for the staffing of this and I'll transition to David and you can talk further. >> Thank you manager Hager and good evening commissioners. Uh Commissioner Jacobs. So, it is a very generous donation from RTP to the sheriff's office and we are conducting a high level of valued engineering to make sure that we fit and
operate within that budget. So, we've been given directions to stay within that. >> Awesome. Thank you.
And I appreciate the partnership and everyone working together on this. Thank you so much. >> Thanks. >> Thank you.
Any additional items? I just had I had a question regarding um 25-0511 the capital project for the new Lincoln Community Health Center building modernization. Do we know from how much of this money is going towards um it's worth funding it but also how much of it is going towards like repairs versus new construction at Lincoln Health? I would I need to follow up more specifically and and Perry can weigh in. These are um repair items. Um there's not new um construction that's happening
and and Perry can weigh in further. >> Yes. Uh good afternoon, commissioners. Perry Mans, deputy director, county engineering.
All of these items are repair items for Lincoln. Um, just to be candid, the Lincoln lease clearly states that um, at the time it was Duke Community Hospital Corporation, which is now Duke, is responsible for the repairs. Many folks know that the county owns the building, but we have a a lease agreement basically to allow Lincoln to operate out of the facility and Duke maintains uh, the facility from a maintenance perspective. Um quite honestly um they went back and forth with these repairs.
These are repairs that are desperately needed. Uh you know they've had issues with the HVAC for some time now. Uh some of these items address that. One of them is a new generator. Uh the other one is basically resurfacing of the existing parking
lots. the county is managing uh adding an additional parking lot on the upper level which is under construction right now is real fairly close to completion. And the other is for the replacement of two elevators. >> And so all of these things are uh much needed to allow Lincoln to continue to operate and not have to shut down uh in in case you know like I say the HVA system totally goes out.
So that that's what the bulk that's what this is. >> Thank you Perry. And you touched on my second question and why I was asking this of because I serve on the DCHC board and this was a conversation I've been having there and that lease agreement that we originally signed in 1998. It states that Duke University Hospital Systems is responsible for these maintenance and repairs and obviously like it's urgent. So the county we're stepping in but this isn't the first time that we've had to step in. Can we get a total dollar amount for the previous HVAC systems repairs that the
county has had to step in to do these repairs? And if there's any other additional repairs that the county has had to do because I think we need to have a conversation with Duke about this is a contractual obligation that they're not abiding by. >> So we we can definitely get that information to the board. I will also say um senior leadership at Duke has committed to um supporting Lincoln at a different level.
And so um we'll come back to the board with more details about that. We started these conversations a few months ago. I believe it was in the May um time frame, May, June. And and I both parties were concerned about um the repairs. We went forward pretty swiftly because we were concerned that um there may be some service delays and and so um I'm glad we're at a stage now that we will have
um a greater understanding on how the partnership would work. >> That would be great. Yeah, because I know you talked about it individually. I think it's really important for us with that original lease agreement to have a legal discussion amongst the county, Lincoln Health, and Duke University Hospital systems about where the responsibilities lie. And the original lease agreement says I think it says a certain 2 million a year or I can't remember the exact amount but there's no growth um or like in doesn't take into consideration inflation and rising cost like that that is just a stagnant amount that Duke University Hospital Systems is responsible to in addition to the repairs but I think we as we talk to them there should be conversation about clarifying that it repairs uh is responsible for they're responsible for as well as some sort of growth in the percentage of contribution per year that
Duke contributes because there's going to continue to be a rising need of services rising population that's using Lincoln Health and rising costs to just maintaining and running the facility. Yeah, Commissioner, I'd like to add that um the majority of the improvements that have been done at Lincoln have been paid for um through grants from the federal government. Uh the county has managed multiple projects over the course of the years over at Lincoln. And Duke has also uh been steadfast in their commitment over the past few years and helping us.
But these right here, as you know, uh the situation at Duke has changed a bit. And so, um, we are trying to work with legal to shore up the, uh, lease agreement so we can be able to respond to these type issues more expeditiously. That's all three entities. And so, we'll certainly follow back up with you on that.
But, uh, that's where we are. Thank you. >> Thank you, Perry. And, Commissioner
Jacobs. >> Yes. This was also an item that I had flagged. Um I first I want to thank um our staff because our staff is stepping into the breach right now because it is urgent.
Um this has been an issue. Um I'm the board liaison to Lincoln Community Health Center and this issue of the HVAC system. This is a building that is about 40 years old. Correct.
We're talking about systems that are 40 years old. And when you have a facility that is um you know 30,000 people the most vulnerable residents in our community that rely on for their basic health care. We can't have one day where the building closes down in the summer because the HVAC doesn't work. And that's what we were really worried about this summer. I think it's been a miracle that we made
it through the summer. uh we have 800 prescriptions filled every day at Lincoln Community Health Center. So you can imagine we can't take that risk. So the dur the county is stepping in but we certainly need to circle back in terms of getting reimbursed.
Um the only previous repair that I know of where the county laid out funding was several years ago. I think it was in my first term where there was u the need to repair or replace the roof and we actually split that cost with Duke. Um and again the the agreement that Chair Lom is referring to is a the support agreement which is between the um Duke uh Durham Hospital Corporation uh which runs Duke Regional uh Durham County Hospital Corporation
who runs the entity that runs Duke Regional and is affiliated with Duke Health System. between that and Lincoln Community Health Center and that agreement clearly states that the Durham County Hospital Corporation will be responsible for maintenance and repairs. Um so this is certainly under that. Um and um so I look forward to us um with the follow-up conversations with all the leadership and liaison um so that we can have a a process that is smooth and ongoing um and we we're not having to worry about a crisis the same way that the county operates and also that the way the Duke Health System operates and that we need Lincoln to be able to operate as well.
So, thank you. Appreciate again staff stepping in to help during this urgent situation. >> Thank you so much,
Commissioner Fe. >> Yeah, I just want to ditto uh some of the comments of several of my colleagues quite frankly. Um Chair Lam, you've done a lot of work uh with respect to this issue and certainly uh as the lison to the board um Commissioner Jacobs, um you've done a lot of work. This has been on uh our uh our agenda for a number of months based on the needs at uh the Lincoln Community Center.
And so I want to say thank you for your work behind the scenes, but no one's looking u to address this issue. And also to uh Manager Hager and your staff. Uh quite frankly, I don't think this would have come to fruition without the the uh the work of your staff working diligently uh to ensure that Lincoln Community Health Center gets uh the resources that they need uh for these much neededed repairs. And so, thank you to everyone involved.
>> Thank you, Commissioner Aline. Okay, any other items with questions or discussion? Okay, I'll entertain a
motion for approval of the consent agenda. Yes. Um I move that we approve the consent agenda. >> Second.
>> Okay. Moved by Commissioner Burton, second by Commissioner Valentine. Any further discussion? Okay.
All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay.
Consent is approved. Five to zero. I'll now pass it to say clerk Lissa but attorney Williamson. >> Good even Good evening.
We have a few uh board appointments here. The first one, audit oversight committee. We have one vacant position and the board has selected, I apologize in advance, Xiao Wu for that position. Um for Discover Durham Tourism Development Authority, we have one vacant position and the board has chosen Jennings Brody. For the Environmental Affairs Board, we have two vacant positions. The board has chosen Mark
Raiden and I apologize again Chuck Wu Mika Canoe Oji for the Historic Preservation Commission. We have one vacant position and the board has chosen Oliver Horton for the Memorial Stadium Authority. We have one vacant position and the board has chosen Lee Rodeo. Congratulations to all of the appointed members.
Thank you, Attorney Williamson. With that, uh, concludes our regular, uh, session main agenda, and we'll now move into close session for two purposes. 11 A4. 11 A3.
Do I hear a motion to go into close session? >> So, move. Second move by Commissioner Valentine, second by Commissioner Burton. Uh, all in favor say I.
>> I. >> Any opposed? We are in close session. Thank you all for joining tonight.
session. No action was taken. I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved.
>> Second. >> A moved by Commissioner Burns, second by Commissioner Jacobs. Any discussion? All in favor say I.
I. Any opposed? Okay, we are journ to zero. Thank you all.